Enjoy roasted Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash, basted in honey and butter, then served topped with toasted pecans and bleu cheese crumbles.
Today I want to share a side dish recipe I found online early last year. I enjoy butternut squash, spaghetti squash and one of my personal favorites… acorn squash, and love to experiment with new recipes for these winter vegetables!
This vegetable side dish for two is called Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash, because it has BOTH flavors goin’ on (sweet and savory)! The recipe is actually very SIMPLE, which is awesome (and convenient).
One whole acorn squash is sliced in half, basted with melted butter and honey, then roasted until tender. Each half is then sprinkled with toasted chopped pecans (or walnuts) and a small amount of crumbled bleu cheese, and served.
The combination of the sweet honey butter paired with the tangy, pungent bleu cheese crumbles is surprisingly nice. This recipe as written serves two people, but can be easily doubled or tripled as needed.
What If You Do NOT Like Bleu Cheese?
Here’s the deal… a LOT of people hate bleu cheese, and I get it! If you are one of those people who say “no way” to bleu cheese, I simply recommend LEAVING IT OUT! Your baked acorn squash will still taste GREAT, it simply will not have the “savory” component.
Whichever way you choose to make this veggie side dish, I think you will enjoy it! Here’s how to make Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
First Things First – A Little Prep!
The first thing to do is preheat your oven to 400°F. (200°C.). You want the oven hot and ready to go once the squash is prepped.
The second step is to lightly “toast” the chopped pecans (or walnuts, if using). NOTE: You can also choose to do this step while the squash is baking, to save time.
This step is EASY! Place chopped pecans in a “DRY” skillet (no oil or anything else). Turn the heat to Medium, and cook the pecans, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until they are lightly toasted and you can smell the aroma of toasted nuts.
Be sure to keep moving the pecans around in the skillet so they do not burn. Once done, remove them from the skillet and let them cool. You will not need them until the squash has finished baking.
Melt butter in a small microwaveable dish or in a saucepan. Stir in honey (or maple syrup, if using) until it is fully incorporated into the melted butter.
Prepare The Acorn Squash
Slice one acorn squash in half from top (stem) to bottom. Once sliced, use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy “pith” from the cavity of each squash half (and discard).
Place the squash halves on a baking sheet or in an oven safe baking dish with the open flesh facing up. If desired, you can line the baking dish or baking sheet with foil, for easy clean up.
Use a pastry brush to fully coat the flesh of the squash with the melted butter and honey mixture. Divide any remaining mixture into the cavity of each squash half.
Time To Bake The Squash
TIP: If you find the halves leaning quite a bit to one side or another I find it helpful to crinkle up a piece of foil and use that to “prop up” or “level out” the squash (see photo below).
Bake the squash at 400°F. for between 40-50 minutes. When done cooking, the squash should be quite tender. You can test the tenderness by inserting a butter knife into the squash. It should EASILY go in and out of the squash. Remove the squash from the oven once done.
Serve The Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash
Now it’s time to serve the sweet and savory acorn squash! The final step before serving is to brush some of the accumulated butter/honey back over the surface of the squash (it will pool up in the cavity as it bakes).
Sprinkle the squash halves with the chopped pecans, evenly dividing them. If you are adding the bleu cheese, sprinkle each half with very small crumbles.
Serve the sweet and savory acorn squash immediately while it’s hot! This is a great vegetable side dish that pairs well with beef, chicken and pork!
I hope you enjoy this recipe, whether you add the bleu cheese or not (ha ha!). It is very simple to make, and the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to meet your needs.
Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you… and have a wonderful day.
Looking For More VEGETABLE Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a fantastic variety of veggie recipes to choose from, including:
- Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
- P.F. Chang’s Spicy Green Beans
- Apple Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Baked Parmesan Zucchini Fries
- Air Fryer Crispy Mini Potatoes
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Recipe adapted from Kevin, at closetcooking.com/maple-pecan-roasted-acorn-squash/
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Enjoy roasted Sweet and Savory Acorn Squash, basted in honey and butter, then served topped with toasted pecans and bleu cheese crumbles.
- 1 medium acorn squash
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 2 Tablespoons honey (can substitute real maple syrup)
- 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans (for garnish)
- 1 Tablespoon bleu cheese crumbles (for garnish)
Preheat oven to 400°F. (200°C.). Line baking sheet or baking dish with foil (for easy clean up).
Place chopped pecans in a "DRY" skillet (no oil, etc.). Cook pecans on Medium heat, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove pecans from skillet; set aside to cool.
Melt butter in a small microwaveable dish or in a saucepan. Stir in honey until it's fully incorporated.
Slice acorn squash in half from top (stem) to bottom. Use spoon to scoop out seeds and stringy "pith" from the cavity of each half (discard). Place squash on prepared baking dish, cavity side facing up. Brush each half with butter/honey mixture. Spoon any remaining mixture into the cavity. TIP: If you find the cut squash leaning to one side, crinkle up some foil; use it to "level out" the squash.
Bake at 400°F. for 40-50 minutes. When done, squash should be tender. Test by inserting a butter knife into the baked squash. It should glide EASILY in and out of the squash. Remove squash from oven once done.
Before serving, brush accumulated butter/honey back over the surface of the squash (it pools up in the cavity as it bakes). Sprinkle each half with toasted pecans, then add bleu cheese crumbles (if using). Transfer to plates, and serve!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!
